Crickets

What are crickets?

Crickets are insects of the grasshopper order. They have six legs, two antennae and a long abdomen. They feed mainly on plants and live in various habitats around the world. Crickets have been used as food by humans for thousands of years, especially in Asia, Africa and Latin America. In Europe, they are still relatively new on the market, but more and more people are discovering them as an alternative source of protein.

What are the advantages of crickets?

Crickets have several advantages over conventional meat, both for the environment and for health. Here are some of them:

• Crickets are very efficient at converting food into protein. They require much less water, land and feed than cattle, pigs or chickens to produce the same amount of protein.
• Crickets produce less CO2 than other animal species. They also emit less of the greenhouse gases methane and ammonia.
• Crickets are rich in protein, iron, zinc, calcium and B vitamins. They also contain all the essential amino acids that the body cannot produce itself.
• Crickets are hypoallergenic. This means that, unlike other animal products, they do not trigger allergies. This is particularly important for dogs that suffer from food allergies.

What are the disadvantages of crickets?

Crickets is not perfect and also has some disadvantages. Here are some of them:

• Crickets are not available everywhere. You can't buy them in the supermarket like other meats. You either have to order them online or look for them in specialty stores.
• Crickets are more expensive than other meats. This is because demand is still low and production is not yet as developed as with other animal species.
• Crickets can contain parasites or bacteria. This is rare, but possible. You should therefore always make sure that you only buy crickets that are approved for human or animal consumption. You should also always heat or dry them thoroughly before giving them to your dog.

How do you feed your dog crickets?

If you want to feed your dog crickets, there are a few things you should bear in mind:

• Introduce crickets slowly into your dog's diet. Start with a small amount and observe how your dog reacts to it. Slowly increase the amount until you reach the recommended daily ration.
• Pay attention to the quality of the crickets. Only buy crickets from trustworthy suppliers that are approved for human and animal consumption. Avoid crickets from pet shops or from the garden, as these are not suitable for human consumption.
• Prepare the crickets properly. You can either boil, bake or dry the crickets before feeding them to your dog. Raw crickets may contain parasites or bacteria and should be avoided.
• Mix the crickets with other ingredients. You can mix crickets with vegetables, fruit or grains.